A remote control system may be for a vehicle including a data communications bus extending throughout the vehicle and connecting vehicle devices. The vehicle devices may be operable with a given set of vehicle device codes from among different sets thereof for different vehicles. A vehicle controller that is responsive to a remote transmitter may include a controller data link interface. A data bus adaptor may store the given set of vehicle device codes and include an adaptor data link interface cooperating with the controller data link interface to provide a communication link for adapting the vehicle controller to communicate with a vehicle device via the data communications bus. The data bus adaptor may be operable based upon a set of adaptor codes from among different sets thereof. The vehicle controller may include a controller download interface for downloading the set of adaptor codes to operate the data bus adaptor.